Park ranked high by magazine for graduating, enrolling Hispanics
In the May 5 issue of Hispanic Outlook magazine, Park University is ranked among the top 100 colleges and universities in the country for bachelor degrees awarded to Hispanics, as well as enrolling Hispanics.
Park ranked 55th nationally in the number of bachelor degrees awarded to Hispanics with 408, according to data gathered by the National Center for Education Statistics. In addition, Park's enrollment of 2,065 Hispanic students ranked 82nd nationally. No other school in Missouri or Kansas was ranked in the top 100 on either list.
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| Jinny McCoy, Park University Board of Trustees honorary member, left, and Dr. Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Park University president. |
President Byers-Pevitts honored by Kansas City organization
Beverley Byers-Pevitts, Ph.D., Park University president, was honored by the Women's Foundation of Greater Kansas City during its "Celebration of Women" event on May 12. Brenda Wisniewski, chair of Park's Board of Trustees, and Jinny McCoy, honorary trustee, nominated Byers-Pevitts for the honor.
The Women's Foundation of Greater Kansas City has helped improve the lives of more than 20,000 women and girls in the Kansas City area through grants totaling $1.5 million to various agencies for research, communication and education.
Read the nomination letter at http://news.park.edu/pub/news_00862.shtml.
Young provides response for ACTF production
As an American College Theatre Festival (ACTF) Region 5 respondent, Jon Young, assistant professor of theatre, provided a 45-minute response to the Emporia (Kan.) State University production of Shakespeare in Hollywood on May 2. About 45 cast, crew, faculty and staff listened to Young's response following the production.
Kalata, Knowles present article at conference
Kathleen Kalata, coordinator of course development, and Evelyn Knowles, Ph.D., coordinator of program quality development, School for Online Learning, presented an article, "A Model for Enhancing Online Course Development," at Innovation 2008: The Real and the Ideal, April 15 in Breckenridge, Colo. The presentation describes the course development process at Park University. The presentation, which was available in a live webcast, can be viewed at http://breeze.uliveandlearn.com/p34717044.
Barrett, Wolpers elected to Kansas City ASPA chapter
Michael Barrett, Master of Public Affairs graduate faculty, and Marion Wolpers, Hauptmann School for Public Affairs program manager and assistant to Kay Barnes, were recently elected to the board of the Greater Kansas City chapter of the American Society for Public Administration. Wolpers will also serve as secretary of the board.
Barrett and Wolpers join three Park University community members on board: Alexa Barton, M.P.A. '07; Laurie DiPadova-Stocks, Ph.D., dean of the HSPA (and academic advisor to the ASPA board); and Don Wise, HSPA fellow for nonprofit leadership and graduate faculty in the M.P.A. program.
Green tip of the week
Memorial Day weekend is near and in spite of soaring gas prices, more Americans than ever are planning to travel by car. But it doesn't have to cost as much as you think. There are lots of ways to save gas (checked your tires lately?), but the easiest and most effective way is to slow down -- just a little.
So before you get behind the wheel for the upcoming holiday, show what you're made of and "Pledge to Drive 55" (or whatever the speed limit is on the road you're traveling) during the entire weekend. The Union of Concerned Scientists says that dropping from 70 to 60 mph improves fuel efficiency by an average of 17.2 percent. And dropping from 75 to 55 mph improves fuel efficiency by 30.6 percent. Put another way, in a family sedan, every 10 mph you drive over 60 is like paying 54 cents per gallon more for gas you bought at $3.25 a gallon. That extra cost is even higher for big SUVs and other less-efficient vehicles.
And the time you save by going easy on the accelerator may not add up to as much as you thought. On a 300-mile trip, driving 65 instead of 70 mph means only 20 extra minutes -- but you'll save money and spew less carbon. For more information and additional tips to lead a "green life," visit http://sierraclub.typepad.com/greenlife.
Upcoming Events
• Nan Schooling senior art exhibit -- May 20-30, Campanella Gallery (Reception: Saturday, May 24, 4-6 p.m.)
• Ben Sayevich Violin Recital -- May 22, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• Maymester ends -- May 23
• Pearl Chamberlin senior art exhibit -- May 24-June 21, Northland Neighborhood, Inc., 3015 NE Vivion Rd., Kansas City, Mo. (Reception: Saturday, May 24, 1-4 p.m.)
• Memorial Day -- May 26 (Parkville Campus closed)
• Tatiana Tessman piano recital -- May 30, 7:30 p.m., Graham Tyler Memorial Chapel
• Summer Session begins -- June 2
• Junemester begins -- June 2
• Jessica Wohl art exhibition -- June 2-July 11, Campanella Gallery
• Pirate Academic Camps -- June 8-13, Parkville Campus
• Park Alumni Weekend -- June 19-22, Parkville Campus
• Alumni Association Annual Meeting -- June 21
• Junemester ends -- June 27
• Masoom Khawaja photography exhibit -- July 14-August 28, Campanella Gallery
• Summer Session ends -- July 25
• Julymester ends -- August 1
